Apparatus for delivering abrasive material.



0. c. McLEAN.

APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING ABRASIVE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1913.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET1.

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MMLLW V C. G. MGLEAN. APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING ABRASIVE MATERIAL,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1913,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING ABRASIVE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 25, 1913.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

3 SHBTS-SHEET 3.

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IITNESSE'S- W UNITED STATES PATLN T OFFICE. CROSBY C. MOLEAN, F PITTSBU RGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 ALLEGHENY PLATE GLASS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA. APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING ABRASIVE MATERIAL.

specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 25, L913.

Patented Dec. 16, 1 913. Serial No. 791,757.

.730 alive/1cm 2'2. may concern: Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail view it known that I, Cnosnr G. McLean, showing the construction of the bottom of a citizen of the United States, residing at the well and its opening door. Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and In the drawings, 2 represents the rotating Slate o l Pennsylvania, have invented certain table of a plate glass grimiling and polishing new and useful Improvements in Apparatus machine of usual, well-known construction for Delivering Abrasive Material, of which which provided with the customary grindthe following is a specification. ing runners and driving mechanism, not My invention consists of an improvement shown. At a suitable distance above the in apparatus for grinding and smoothing table and runners are preferably provided plate glass, and refers particularly to means convennmt delivery troughs or conduits 3, for classifying, supplying and collecting the 4-, one of which is adapted to receive the abrasive material, utilizing mechanism for abrasive from one of the wells and the other effecting an upward flow from the bottom to receive the abrasive from the other well, portions of a plurality of individual (-01- under the control mechanism hereinafter lecting wells, with supply conduits and disdescribed, and to deliverit through the optributing mechanism constructed and adaptposite spout terminals of the troughs to the ed to operate in the manner more fully heretable as needed. The table 2 .is surrounded inafter set forth.

by an annular collecting trough or ditch 5 The apparatus comprises a preliminary within an outer protecting wall (5, the. ditch Well in which the overflow water from the being inclined toward an outlet opening or glass grinding table is delivered, together conduit 7 and provided with a protecting with means for supplying fresh abrasive, a screen 8 for separating anycoarse or foreign secondary well arranged to receive the overmatter, allowing the finer particles to. pass flow from the upper portion of the prelimidownwardly into the circulation. nary Well, said wells being especially con- Laterally oil-set. from the apparatus above structed to provide for removal of their hotdescribed, but. in convenient juxtaposition tom closures and each having an individual thereto, a dry well 9 of concrete or other pump device, together with a surrotunlsuitable material, sutliciently large to prt ing dry pit within which the wells are invlde tor the installation of the preliminary closed. The said wells embody novel mechand secondary wells 10 and 11 and of the anism for effecting disturbance of the acentrance to the bottom of the pit of one or cumulation of abrasive, etc., 111 the bottom more workmen, ample space being provided and for facilitating the action of the pumps, for such purpose. The bottom of the well and the invention embodies other features is preferably tapered toward a lowermost of novelty and utility in its entirety. sink hole 9 from which any collected water In the drawings illustrating one preferred may be removed by pumping. installation of the apparatus,--I*igure 1 is A conduit 12 leads from the cavity 7 below a general plan view showing the mechanism the screen 8 into the preliminary well 10, arranged with relation to the plate glass said conduit: having a fitting 13 to which I) grinding machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse a conduit 14 the fresh sand hopper 15 1s sectional view taken on the line II. II.

connected, whereby fresh sand may be supof Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical secplied from time to time by gravity, as tional views, enlarged, of the classifying needed. hopper which receives the abrasive from While the preliminary well 10 and the the secondary well and delivers it to the secondary well 11 are oi. substantially the table. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical secsame construction, I prefer that the bottom tional view of one of" the settling wells and of the preliminary well shall be located its pump. Fig. 6 is a plan view showing some distance above the secondary well, as the piping arrangement for the disturbing shown, and these wells are connected at a fluid supplied 'to the bottom of said well. point near their upper ends by an overflow Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the conduit it by which the seoondar well is lower portion of the well at right angles to sup ilied from the preliminar ,and the finer Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional .view, taken on the line VIII. VIII. of Fig. 5.

unused particles of abrasive are carried over into 1t. The secondary well is also provided at a slightly higher level with an overflow conduit 17, through which surplus water, fine unused material, slime, etc., are carried ofi to the sewer.

Each of the wells is provided with an air lift or pump device 18 of a construction adapted to effect an upward flow of the water and abrasive from the bottom portion of the well. As shown, the pump consists of a cylindrical body portion having an air conduit 19 which may be conveniently made of a pipe having a jet terminal 20 turned upwardly into its interior above its lower end. The air supply pipe 19 leads upwardly through the well 10 and is provided with a controlling valve 21 and is connected with a main air supply pipe 22 leading from any suitable source of pressure. The secondary well 11 is likewise provided with the same construction of pump and air supply having a controlling valve 21' and adapted to operate generally in the-same manner, but located at a somewhat lower level than the pump just described, within the bottom portion of the secondary well 11. Each of the wells 10 and 11 is provided with a removable bottom 23 hinged at 24 to a terminal surrounding ring 25, towhich the bottom is fixedly secured by a series of bolts 26 easily inserted and removed through lateral slots 27 in the bottom and ring, thus facilitating easy and quick connection or disconnection. The bottoms 23 may be provided, as shown, with centrally arranged hollow lugs 28 forming circulatingconnec' tions and adapted to rovide for outward fiow of the contents oi the well through a controlling valve 29 having a stem 29 extending laterally therefrom. By this means the well may be drained into the surrounding pit before opening the hinged bottom 23.

For the purpose of agitating or dislodging the accumulated'material in the bottom of each well, I provide a series of water supply pipes 30 connected at the upper end of each well with headers 31 and 32 respectively, each header having a controlling valve 33, and being connected with a common supply pipe 34:. The pipes 30 are in pairs, as shown, two pipes for each header, which pass downwardly around the outside of the shell 10 or 11 of each well, and are inserted inwardly through the shell and connected by suitable fittings. @ne of the said pipes is turned upwardly at an angle of, say 45 as shown at 35, and the other turned downwardly in the same manner, as indicated at 86, so that the inner terminals of each pair alternate in direction, up and down. The four terminals of the two pairs of pipes, being thus alternately arranged, are capable of supplying streams of water of any. desired volume or force, either through one pair or both, as controlled by valves 33, for the purpose of effectually memes starting or loosening the accumulated material and facilitating its entrance into. the bottom of the air lift or pump, through which it is then carried upwardly.

Pump 18 of the preliminary welllO is provided with a supply pipe 37 which leads over to one of the distributing troughs 4, by which the coarse abrasive is supplied to the table for the initial operations, pipe 37 having a. controlling valve 38 and a downwardly cirected return pipe .39 having a valve 40, connected behind valve 38 and adapted to return the material to the circulation when it is not required for the table.

It will be understood that the flow of the coarse abrasive through pipe 37 may be accurately controlled by valve 38 and that the location and slope of the pipe is such as to utilize gravity to assist in its travel.- T he secondary well 11 is likewise provided with a similar pipe 41 leading upwardly.

from the well to 'a higher level where itdischarges into a classifying tank 42. This tank, which is of well-known construction, is preferably provided with tapering walls 43 at its sides and ends and an adiustable gate 44 which may be set at any desired distance above one of the inclined walls for the purpose of controlling the flow downwardly toward the bottom.

The classifier 42 is provided with a series of outlet terminals 45 at the lower portions of which separate conduits 46 are swiveled and lead off to the distributing trough"=*3, by which the abrasive is distributed to the grinding table for finishing. These conduits 46 may also discharge directly to the grinding table direct if preferred. 'In the construction of the classifier, means are provided for effecting operation of any particular one of the conduits 4:6 by controlling the outlet from terminals 45 through individual valves 47 adapted to admit flowcontrolling streams from a supply pipe 48,

thereby operating to set up a supply of water and abrasive'through connection 45 to its supply pipe 46. The classifier, as to these features however, does not itself form any essential part of the present invention, and may be substituted by any other equivalent mechanism for eifect-in'g distribution of the classified abrasive as needed in the successive steps of the finishing operation.

.The apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description. At the commencement of the operation, coarse material, as sand, is supplied to the table from' the preliminary well 10 by its pump and connections, the overflow additional supply of fresh abrasive from hopper 15, together with any necessary addi tional water from pipe a, passing backwardly into the preliminary well and into from the table with the used abrasive and carrying any [$81 ,maa a l the circulation, the operation being carried on until the coarse grinding of the glass is accomplished. Overflow from the preliminary Well through conduit 1.6 carries Water and finer abrasive in suspension into the secondary well 11, and surplus water or useless material as very fine sand or float, which is not coarse enough to be used as an abrasive, falling oil through the conduit 17 to the sewer. The finer abrasive in the secondary well is :arricd by the operation of its air lift pump and pipe 41 into the classifier 42, beihg delivered therefrom, as described, in successively finer grades for the finishing operations. By this means a very large supply of sand and water may be fed to the table through the double spout -'l for facing. ll? preferred however, the pipe 4] may be led directly to the table and the abrasive discharged thereon without passing it through the classifier 42. .vt'ter the grinding operation with the coarser abrasive is finished, valve 38 may be closed and valve 40 opened, it the pump in well 10 is continued, whereupon the coarser abrasive will merely circulate back through the screen 8 and conduits 7 and 12 to the well without being supplied to the table.

The pump in the preliminary well may be discontinued, if desired, in which case the coarse abrasive may be accumulated in the bottom of the well. At any time it is required it may be readily loosened by the jet pipes 35, 36, such operation being easily controlled and regulated for one or both wells, as desired, so that the apparatus is in no way interfered with by the settling of the abrasive to the bottom, and the operation in no way depends upon the maintenance of the abrasive at any predetermined level. The coarse sand may, however, be maiir tained in suspension and circulation by continuing the operation of the pump, as may also be done with the finer sand in the secondary well, if desired.

The several conduits 46 are so arranged that they may be successively diverted in a lateral direction to the annular ditch, as indicated at 46, Fig. 1, by merely swinging them around upon their connections, thereby enabling the operator to use the finishing sand of one grade and each grade successively. by successively diverting the second and third conduit 46 in the same manner, and so on until the four grades of sand have been applied. after which both of the air lit't pumps are shut oti by their controlling air valves. The agitating jets in the bottom of each well may be then opened to their capacity by the controlling valves, preventing the settling of sand in the bottom of the wells, the operation being easily and accurately controlled, as desired.

The operator is thus enabled to accurately regulate the quality and rate of flow of the abrasive to the grinding tableaocordimg to the work being done, while the provision for the return of all of the abrasive by gravity to the circulation avoids any loss, effecting a maximum of elliciency and economy.

The advantages of the invention will be appreciated by all those familiar with this class of apparatus. it may be changed or varied by the skilled mechanic in ditt'erent features of detail, proportions, or design, but all such changes are to be considered as within the scope of the following claims:

What I claim is:

1. In glass grinding apparatus, the com bination with a glass grinding table, of a surrounding collecting trough leading to a discl'iarge con luit, a collecting well connected therewith, an. air lil't device within the well having a delivery conduit leading to the grinding table, and means for distnrlr ing the material at the bottom of the well, substantially as set forth.

2. in glass grimling apparatus, the combination with a glass grinding table, of a surrounding collecting trough hauling to a discharge conduit, a collecting well connected therewith, an air lilt device within the well, a distributing hopper, a conduit leading from the air li'tt device to the hopper, means for distrilmting the abrasive from the hopper to the table, means for draining the collecting well, and means for collecting the drained contents thcrcol, substantially as set forth.

3. In glass grinding apparatus, the combination with a glass grinding table, of a surrounding collecting trough leading to a discharge conduit, a collecting well connected therewith, an air lift. device within the well for delivering the abrasive and water to the table, and a closure removably sccured to the bottom of the well, substantially as set forth.

4. In glass grinding apparatus, the combination with a glass grinding table, of a surrouiuling collecting trough leading to a discharge conduit, a collecting wcll connected therewith, an air li'l't device within the well for delivering the abrasive and water to the table, a supplemental outer surrounding well extending below the bottom of said well, and means for opening and closing the bottom of said first named well for discharg ing its contents into said surrouiiding well, substantially as set forth.

5. in glass grinding apparatus, the combination with a glass grinding table, of a surrounding collecting trough leading to a discharge conduit, a collecting well connected therewith, an air lift device within the well, means for draining the contents of the well, and a surrounding dry pit inclosure for the well, substantially as set forth.

(3. The combination with a grinding machine, ot a well for collecting water and all tun abrasive, means conducting the overflow from the table to said' well, means for supplying abrasive and water from within the well'to the table, means for furnishing fresh abrasiv to the well, and variously directed disturbing water jet devices at the bottom of the well, substantially as set forth.

'3. The combination with a grinding machine, of Well for collecting water and abrasive, means conducting the overfiowl from the table to said well, means for supplying abrasive and water from within the well to the table, a second similar well connected with said well by an overflow conduit and having similar means for supplying abrasive and water to the table, and means for disturbing the accumulated abrasive in the bottoms of said Wells, substantially as I set forth. i

8. The combination With a grinding machine and its overflow conduit, of a collecting Well having a removable bottom provided witha drain cock, means connecting the overflow conduit with said Well, a suring machine, and a series of disturbing jet pipes leading to the bottom of the Well, substantially as set forth.

9, The combination with a grinding machine and its overflow conduit, of a co1lecting well having a removable bottom provided with a drain cock, means connecting the overflow conduit with said Well, a surrounding dry pit, an air lift device within the well having a valve controlled pipe leading to the grinding machine, a valve controlled branch pipe leading to the overflow conduit, and means for disturbing the abrasive in the bottom of the Well, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix ny signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' 'onosnv o. MoLEAN.

Witnesses C. M. CLARKE, FREDK. STAUB. 

